A
session stylist who specialises in men’s hair, Jody’s forward-thinking men’s
hairstyles have graced the pages of 7th Man, Boys by Girls and The
Independent magazine, and he’s even done David Beckham’s hair. His calm, cool
approach makes him a natural at Fashion Week, too, where he’s in demand as a
hair team lead (basically, he’s the boss backstage).
What subjects did you enjoy in school?
PE, because I loved sports and being out of the classroom for an hour was great. History, because understanding what happened in the past for us to be where we are today is so interesting. And Maths – I enjoyed problem solving.
Why hairdressing?
I’ve always had an obsession with fashion and hair but never really realised it at the time. One day I went to Selfridges to get my hair cut after my dad had recommended me and my brother to go. That haircut cost £20 and I was used to paying £3, but something clicked that day – all the barbers seemed to be enjoying their work. I was curious, I wanted to see what it was like.
You trained at Toni&Guy. What was that like?
I look back on those early years with such a big smile on my face. Don’t get me wrong, it was tough. There was no Minimum wage back then. I earned £60 a week. I cleaned the toilets, swept the floor shampooed all day, and made coffees and teas non-stop. But I was given some advice back then: “Whatever job you do, do it with pride”. So I tried my best to be the best assistant I could be, regardless of the task I was doing. But we had so much fun, I just wanted to learn as much as I could. I wouldn’t change a thing about my training except for the time I used shampoo for the dishwasher as we’d run out of tablets.
What subjects did you enjoy in school?
PE, because I loved sports and being out of the classroom for an hour was great. History, because understanding what happened in the past for us to be where we are today is so interesting. And Maths – I enjoyed problem solving.
Why hairdressing?
I’ve always had an obsession with fashion and hair but never really realised it at the time. One day I went to Selfridges to get my hair cut after my dad had recommended me and my brother to go. That haircut cost £20 and I was used to paying £3, but something clicked that day – all the barbers seemed to be enjoying their work. I was curious, I wanted to see what it was like.
You trained at Toni&Guy. What was that like?
I look back on those early years with such a big smile on my face. Don’t get me wrong, it was tough. There was no Minimum wage back then. I earned £60 a week. I cleaned the toilets, swept the floor shampooed all day, and made coffees and teas non-stop. But I was given some advice back then: “Whatever job you do, do it with pride”. So I tried my best to be the best assistant I could be, regardless of the task I was doing. But we had so much fun, I just wanted to learn as much as I could. I wouldn’t change a thing about my training except for the time I used shampoo for the dishwasher as we’d run out of tablets.
How did you get to become a session stylist?
After 15 years working at Toni&Guy as an educator I went freelance so I could work as a hairdresser in the fashion world. I worked on loads of editorials for various magazines to build up my portfolio, and used this body of work to advertise myself to brands for work. It was a long process to establish myself, but now the hard work is starting to pay off.
Tell us about your role now
It’s a dream come true. I work as a freelance hairstylist and my job is very varied. I work mainly on photo-shoots for fashion brands and magazines. I head teams at fashion weeks in London and Paris and Milan. I work with actors on press junkets and premieres. Every week is different, every day is different. The pressure to deliver high quality work is immense but the buzz of the job is unreal.
Did you realise hairdressing was going to give you this life?
People presume that if you’re a hairdresser, you didn’t do well at school. They think it’s a dead-end job. But hairdressing is a career that’s so rewarding as you constantly see the results of your work. You have the gift to make people feel incredible about themselves. You can never stop learning in this craft. You don’t need to conform to rules. You can be yourself and be proud of who you are.
@jodytaylorhair
After 15 years working at Toni&Guy as an educator I went freelance so I could work as a hairdresser in the fashion world. I worked on loads of editorials for various magazines to build up my portfolio, and used this body of work to advertise myself to brands for work. It was a long process to establish myself, but now the hard work is starting to pay off.
Tell us about your role now
It’s a dream come true. I work as a freelance hairstylist and my job is very varied. I work mainly on photo-shoots for fashion brands and magazines. I head teams at fashion weeks in London and Paris and Milan. I work with actors on press junkets and premieres. Every week is different, every day is different. The pressure to deliver high quality work is immense but the buzz of the job is unreal.
Did you realise hairdressing was going to give you this life?
People presume that if you’re a hairdresser, you didn’t do well at school. They think it’s a dead-end job. But hairdressing is a career that’s so rewarding as you constantly see the results of your work. You have the gift to make people feel incredible about themselves. You can never stop learning in this craft. You don’t need to conform to rules. You can be yourself and be proud of who you are.
@jodytaylorhair
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#ThinkHairdressing
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